Nuclear and Atomic Physics

0910 Submissions

Is Deuterium Fusion Catalyzed by Antineutrinos?

Authors:Isaac ShomerComments: The title and abstract of this article have been submitted for inclusion in the April 2010 meeting of the American Physical Society
Additionally, information covered by this paper will likely be presented in video format on my web site,
http://www.metacafe.com/channels/SpaceCadet262/

The hypothesis of Fischbach and Jenkins that neutrinos emitted from the
sun accelerate radioactive decay is noted. It is thought that neutrinos accelerate
beta decay by reacting with neutron-rich nuclides to form a beta particle and a
daughter product, with no antineutrino emitted. Conversely, it is proposed that
antineutrinos can react with proton-rich nuclides to cause positron decay, with no
neutrino emitted. It is also proposed that the nuclear fusion of the hydrogen bomb
is triggered not only by the energy of the igniting fission bomb, but by the
antineutrinos created by the rapid beta decay of the daughter products in the
fission process. The contemplated mechanism for this chain reaction fusion
process is the following: (1) The antineutrinos from the fission daughter products
cause positron decay of deuterium by the process outlined above. (2) In a later
fusion step, these positrons subsequently react with neutrons in deuterium to
create antineutrinos. Electrons are unavailable to annihilate positrons in the
plasma of the hydrogen bomb. (3) These antineutrinos thereafter react with more
deuterium to form positrons, thereby propagating the chain.
Category:Nuclear and Atomic Physics